Sloup Slips into Women's Amateur Lead

Ashley Sloup of Southport, NC slips into 36-hole lead

PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (May 17, 2016) -- Second round results of the 90^th Carolinas Women's Amateur Championship at The Reserve Club in Pawleys Island, S.C. on May 17 (6,064 yards, Par 36-36--72, Course Rating: 74.9/131).

Two days of steady play from Southport, N.C. native Ashley Sloup put her atop the leaderboard at the 90th edition of the longest running women's amateur golf championship in the Carolinas.  

In the final round of last year's championship held at Treyburn Country Club, Sloup found herself in the final grouping. She would card a 79 and finish T-5. "I was pretty nervous last year," said 20-year-old Sloup. "It was a good learning experience. I feel a lot more confident this year after that."

As a sophomore this past season at Winthrop University, her team won three tournaments and Sloup won one individually. "I feel from freshman to sophomore year I have learned a lot and have matured a lot in my game."

Rounds of 75-74 give Sloup a one shot lead. Looking ahead to Wednesday's final round, the wise beyond her year's Sloup quotes Ben Hogan when summarizing her golf philosophy. “Golf can be such a frustrating game," said Sloup. "When you hit a bad shot or have a bad hole, it’s hard to stay mentally strong, but it’s such a long game. You just have to stay confident and positive the whole day.”

The round of the day was posted by Carley Cox of China Grove, N.C. Cox, a rising sophomore at James Madison University, made four birdies to play her way into Wednesday's final pairing. Her second round 72 was a seven shot improvement on her opening 79. She will begin Wednesday trailing Sloup by two.

The top three competitors heading into Wednesday are each chasing their first CGA championship. Bailey Cocca, the 2014 runner-up, is one shot back of Sloup. With rounds of 76-74, the recent graduate of Coastal Carolina has a simple strategy. "I just play the course, beat the course," said Cocca, a two-time NYS Junior Girls' champion before moving to South Carolina. "If I do my job then that's all I can do."
 

First round leader Lea Venable had a frustrating second round. She is four shots back heading into Wednesday's final 18 holes.

First round leader Lea Venable of Simpsonville, S.C. carded an eight-over-par, 80, on Tuesday which places her four shots off the lead. Venable contributes her inflated score today to poor ball striking and her inability to feel comfortable with the flat stick. “I never felt comfortable over a putt and as a result, I three putted three times.”

Venable’s round was also lacking in birdies today, as she finished the day with zero red numbers on her card. “You have to make birdies to get your round going especially on a tough golf course.” Although her round was rocky and not ideally what she had hoped for, the CGA veteran says that she prefers entering the final round a couple shots off of the lead.

“I would prefer to chase the leader rather than hold a lead. I can sleep chasing [the leader] but I can’t sleep with the lead.” As for tomorrow, Venable's game plan is simple, “Play solid and play aggressive.”

 

Tuesday's play was suspended for 90 minutes at 1:25pm for lightning. Defending champion Katie Kirk of Greenville, N.C. is in 27th place at 163. Wednesday's final round will begin with a 9:00am shotgun start.

Related: Tee times & Pairings | Hole-by-hole scoring | Championship History | Photos

Scoring will be provided by the CGA throughout the championship, offering 9 and 18-hole updates. Live updates will also be available on the CGA’s official Twitter, @cgagolf1909. Continue to visit the CGA website throughout this championship and all year long for complete championship coverage including scores, interviews, photos, and recaps.

The championship is conducted at 54 holes of stroke play (no cut). All players, regardless of Handicap Index, have the option to play in the Championship Division or the Carolinas Division. The Overall Champion will be determined from the contestants playing in the Championship Division. Entry is open to any female amateur golfer who has reached her 13th birthday by May 16, 2016, is a legal resident of North Carolina or South Carolina, is a member in good standing of a club which is a member of the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) and has an active GHIN USGA Handicap Index at a CGA member club that does not exceed 40.4.

 

90th Carolinas Women's Amateur Championship
The Reserve Club | Pawleys Island, S.C.
May 17, 2016

Second Round Results
Par 36-36--72

Championship Division

1   Ashley Sloup, Southport, N.C. - 75-74--149

2   Bailey Cocca, Myrtle Beach, S.C. - 76-74--150

3   Carley Cox, China Grove, N.C. - 79-72--151

T4   Lea Venable, Simpsonville, S.C. - 73-80--153

T4   Maddisen Cox, Easley, S.C. - 75-78--153

6   Juliana Sebastian, Columbia, S.C. - 77-77--154

T7   Kate Collom, Charlotte, N.C. - 76-79--155

T7   Mary-Katelyn Holanek, Cary, N.C. - 80-75--155

T9   Abbey Hartsell, Hickory, North Caro - 79-78--157

T9   Annie Collom, Charlotte, N.C. - 81-76--157

T9   Julie Streng, Greensboro, N.C. - 80-77--157

T9   Reona Hirai, Summerville, S.C. - 77-80--157

T13   Catherine Ashworth, Fuquay-Varina, N.C. - 83-75--158

T13   Jaelyn Tindal, Rock Hill, S.C. - 79-79--158

T13   Mallory Hetzel, Waynesville, N.C. - 79-79--158

T13   Rachel Jones, Asheboro, N.C. - 81-77--158

T13   Taylor Dodson, Aiken, S.C. - 85-73--158

T13   Tiffany Robbins, Fort Mill, S.C. - 79-79--158

19   Stacey Tomlinson, Greeleyville, S.C. - 83-76--159

T20   Kim Briele, New Bern, N.C. - 80-80--160

T20   Pendleton Bogache, Myrtle Beach, S.C. - 84-76--160

T20   Savanna Wood, Boone, N.C. - 79-81--160

T20   Savannah Hallman, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. - 85-75--160

T24   Ashley Thompson, Clyde, N.C. - 84-78--162

T24   Gabrielle Weiss, Southern Pines, N.C. - 79-83--162

T24   Lea Anne Brown, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. - 80-82--162

27   Katie Kirk, Greenville, N.C. - 84-79--163

T28   Susan Beaupied, Pittsboro, N.C. - 80-84--164

T28   Taylor Kate Mayers, Summerville, S.C. - 81-83--164

T30   Angela Stewart, Greenville, N.C. - 84-82--166

T30   Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C. - 83-83--166

T32   Savannah Thompson, West End, N.C. - 88-80--168

T32   Terrie Allemang, Hilton Head, S.C. - 86-82--168

T34   Alexis Kershaw, Winston-Salem, N.C. - 87-82--169

T34   Bethany Renee Galloway, Charlotte, N.C. - 86-83--169

T34   Laura Bird, Maxton, N.C. - 89-80--169

T37   Annika Winebarger, State Road, N.C. - 91-79--170

T37   Danielle Haizlip, Statesville, N.C. - 87-83--170

T37   Kelli Smith, Murrells Inlet, S.C. - 87-83--170

T40   Alexandria Bare, Kannapolis, N.C. - 87-86--173

T40   Ansley Vaughan, Edisto Beach, S.C. - 85-88--173

T42   Cayla Smith, Easley, S.C. - 92-83--175

T42   Chandler Case, Rock Hill, S.C. - 84-91--175

T42   Kristina Blaylock, Cary, N.C. - 86-89--175

45   Morgan Laird, Waxhaw, N.C. - 84-92--176

46   Anne Washington, Conway, S.C. - 91-87--178

T47   Anna Wears, Durham, N.C. - 87-93--180

T47   Payton Culler, Hendersonville, N.C. - 91-89--180

T47   Samantha Wallace, Charlotte, N.C. - 89-91--180

50   Katherine DeVore, High Point, N.C. - 98-94--192

51   Cynthia Smith, York, S.C. - 101-93--194

52   Mary Katherine Donovan, Hampstead, N.C. - WD

Carolinas - First Flight

1   Sook Hee Yang, Jamestown, N.C. - 76-81--157

T2   Charlotte Twitty, Chapin, S.C. - 80-82--162

T2   Leigh Coulter, Hopkins, S.C. - 83-79--162

4   Louise Givens, Columbia, S.C. - 82-82--164

5   Suzanne Moro, Myrtle Beach, S.C. - 84-82--166

6   Carole Jones, Hillsborough, N.C. - 88-83--171

7   Natalie Huff, Elgin, S.C. - 93-81--174

8   Suzann Bartley, Columbia, S.C. - 88-89--177

9   Anna Moore, Wilmington, N.C. - 95-97--192

10   Dianne Yelovich, Pinehurst, N.C. - WD

Carolinas - Second Flight

1   Kristen Rooke, Greenville, S.C. - 81-82--163

2   Peggy Yountz, Denver, N.C. - 85-82--167

3   Lily Lee, Chapel Hill, N.C. - 85-87--172

T4   Bonnie Montgomery, Jamestown, N.C. - 90-83--173

T4   Cynthia Curry, Charlotte, N.C. - 86-87--173

6   Barbara Munnett, Winston Salem, N.C. - 88-86--174

T7   Clate Aydlett, Elizabeth City, N.C. - 85-90--175

T7   Karen Zeip, Myrtle Beach, S.C. - 86-89--175

9   Susan Harden, Beaufort, S.C. - 89-87--176

10   Kelly Whitley, Greensboro, N.C. - 91-88--179

11   Ellen Miller, Pawleys Island, S.C. - 96-85--181

12   Marjorie Rogers, Surfside Beach, S.C. - 92-93--185

Carolinas - Third Flight

1   Kathy Judge, Pawleys Island, S.C. - 88-89--177

T2   Laura Rawl, Charleston, S.C. - 84-97--181

T2   Peggy Hall, Belmont, N.C. - 89-92--181

4   Teddy Stockwell, Charleston, S.C. - 94-91--185

5   Mary Rhodes, Greensboro, N.C. - 94-96--190

6   Kyoko Tsuchiya, Mt Pleasant, S.C. - 95-97--192

T7   Beverly Cassels, Charlotte, N.C. - 102-100--202

T7   Sara Murphy, Georgetown, S.C. - 108-94--202

9   Brenda Frye, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. - 107-97--204

10   Barbara Sobolewski, Murrells Inlet, S.C. - 114-108--222

11   Joyce Robinette, Lake Wylie, S.C. - 129-128--257

 

Championship Schedule

Monday, May 16
Round 1 – 18 holes stroke play
(tee times begin 8:00 a.m.)
Lunch immediately following play for players
Monday, May 17
Round 2 – 18 holes stroke play
(tee times begin 8:00 a.m.)
Lunch immediately following play for players
Monday, May 18
Round 3 – 18 holes stroke play
(shotgun start at 9:00 a.m.)
Lunch and awards immediately following play for players

                      

                  
About the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA)

The CGA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization that was founded in 1909 to promote and to protect the game of golf in the Carolinas by providing competitions, education, support and benefits to golf clubs and golfers. The CGA is the second largest golf association in the country with over 700 member clubs represented by nearly 150,000 individuals.

The CGA annually conducts 43 championships and five team match competitions for men, women, juniors, and seniors. It also runs over 140 One-Day (net and gross) events and qualifying for USGA national championships. The CGA serves golf in the Carolinas with numerous programs such as: the USGA Handicap System; tournament management software and support; course measuring and course/slope ratings; agronomy consultation; answers about the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, and Handicapping; Carolinas Golf Magazine; Interclub series; Tarheel Youth Golf Association; Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame; expense assistance for USGA Junior and Girls' Junior qualifiers from the Carolinas; and the Carolinas Golf Foundation (CGF). The CGF has distributed more than $1,500,000 since 1977 to benefit Carolinas' golf initiatives including junior and women's programs. For more information about the CGA, visit our website.

 

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